Title: Shades of Descent

+ second part of the tiles arc +

Author: kc-chan ([email protected])

Rating: PG-13 to R; this part- R

Warning: Language, Violence, yaoi, yuri, angst, AU, possible OOC, lemon.

++SPECIAL WARNING++ real chants are used here folks, I take no responsibility if you happen to use them and you get hurt/injured. I personally don’t mess around with things I have no control over. No daemons were summoned during the scripting of this fic. In fact, I don’t think I want to test them. Three rules to life- never be around before, during, or after a daemon summoning.

PAIRINGS: 6+5/5+6 ; mentions of 5xM/M+5; 3x4; 1x2x1; 13x6

++SPOILERS++: to be safe I’ll say the entire series especially Blind target, Episode Zero manga, and Endless Waltz.

ARCHIVE www.wired-dna.net ; www.fanfiction.net um… whoever has previous okays take it. anyone else please email me (not like I am going to say no or anything. . .)

DISCLAIMER: not mine. . . please don’t sue. Only borrowing them.

Thanks to my beta-ers- Cheshire-san , Lilie-san, and Aya-chan for all their wonderful help and translating help! I love you!!! ::glomps::

COMMENTS: that would be nice.

Dedicated to: Cheshire-san; Aya-chan; Fei-chan; Trixie, Lil Black Cat; necromancer9; Devilicious ; yuta; Kathy; nana-chan; Azzie; michelle and to all those who’ve taken the time to read. Thank you!

<< other languages are like this >>

un-beta-ed and no translations done yet.



Shades of Descent

Part 4

By: kc-chan

Violet eyes blinked as their Chinese friend strolled through the lobby of the hotel later that evening. The American had futilely attempted to find the boy earlier, but gave up after a while. The boy obviously knew this area, and if he didn’t, well Wufei certainly did an admirable job of hiding it. He leaned against the leather back chair; waiting to see of the Chinese boy would notice him. A first over glance revealed to Duo that Wufei was decidedly tense, muscles and his stance were rigid, eyes were pretty much a void, and if it were possible he looked like he did those long lifetimes ago.

Shaking his mind from the distant past, the American slid up behind the boy, firmly bringing the boy against him in a hug. “You alright? You need to talk?”

Mutely, the black eyed boy shook his head. “I’m fine. Where am I located this evening?”

“Well, Relena headed up with Hee-kun to have a small after dinner chat with an Ambassador of something, and so I got the rest of the night to hang out and Zechs headed up to your guy’s room to take a nap or something.”

“Aa. Then I’m going to go up as well, there are a few things on my mind and I think I need to clear them right now with the case.”

That grip tightened momentarily, “Fei?”

The head nodded forward some, hair drifting to follow its owner, “Yes, Duo?”

“What… What happened at your apartment? I’ve read the files, talked to Sally, had a chat with Q-man, and even pried stuff from Zechsie, but there are some rather large gapping holes in your story. Care to fill me in?”

For the longest moment Wufei’s rasping breathing worked with Maxwell’s soft even breaths, silence enveloping them in its protective arms. “It…” Black eyes closed in pain, far from the view of his friend’s caring gaze. Muscles tensed, wanting to just run, run from it all and never look back. Gasping for a breath of air, he focused his response. “It doesn’t matter now. And after tomorrow perhaps it will never matter again.”

Feeling his friend’s arms slacken, Wufei stepped forward and headed towards the front desk. “Chang Wufei, Preventers. I’m picking up a room key.”

The girl at the desk nodded and turned her eyes to the blue screen. “Here Mr. Chang. Room 1020. Have a good evening.”

“Thank you.”

~~~~~’~~@@~~’~~~~~~

Zechs turned from his position on the bed to look at the person who opened the door. Placing the papers down, he shifted slightly, leaning back to fully see the Chinese man. Words hung briefly on his lips, but he decided against saying them, waiting patiently for the boy to enter the room completely.

“Duo is worried about you.”

“Aa.” The Chinese youth replied, slipping off his jacket and checking his comm for messages.

Blue eyes followed the boy’s actions about the room, from sorting through the case files and sitting with them. “I know from intimate experiences that withholding emotions can lead to some serious self doubt issues, not to mention depression.”

Black eyes flickered up to the beautiful face of the European, their eyes held each other for a long moment, until Wufei pulled his away, back to the black text upon the page before him. “It’s nothing-”

“Nothing doesn’t do that to you Fei. I think I would have some inkling between fussy you, annoyed you, angry you, and I have a stick up my ass and decided to curl into myself and ignore my friends you.” Zechs kept his gaze steady, waiting for a reaction.

Words blurred on the page, the tears were there. Wufei sighed and looked up, scrubbing a hand through his hair. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Really? Try another one.”

Fixing the blonde with a half-hearted glare, Wufei snorted, “When did you become the expert on reading people?”

“Since I was four.”

Wufei paused, papers were set aside. “Four?”

“You forget Fei, I may not be a politician now but I was raised with the beliefs that one day I would be leading a nation, a diplomatic apostle of my family’s beliefs. I was taught early on to read people.”

“Oh.”

“That and you can’t hide your emotions very well, so it made it fairly easy.” Zechs stood, crossing the distance between his bed and the chair in which the Chinese boy sat. Crouching, he held his palm to the boy’s bronze cheek. “You’re too tense, why don’t you just… let them out for now. I’ve seen them, and you know it doesn’t bother me.”

“They bother me…” The boy whispered, leaning marginally into the warm hand.

“How so?” He intensely watched the boy’s face, listening with his abilities. It was strange how the boy’s distress bothered him so.

Surprise crossed the blonde’s face as the black haired boy leaned forward, curling into his chest; head snuggled between his shoulder and neck. “It isn’t natural.” Came the firm but muffled response.

Brushing a hand through that silky mane, Zechs smiled, pressing a cheek to the top of the boy’s head. “Is me creating a floating sphere in my hand normal, is flying a large mech natural, is creating a killer of a child normal?”

“But it’s cat ears! I have a tail, a *tail* Zechs!” Wufei murmured.

Silence passed for a long moment, he was torn between telling Wufei that there were others like him, hell that Duo was a familiar, a being capable of extraordinary morphing abilities and telling the American that Wufei had changed. There was a difference between protection and protecting. Where that line was was what Zechs was unsure of.

“I think they are rather cute.”

Black eyes blinked, head pulled back enough to blanch at the man holding him. With a sigh, the boy released them, finding it easier to let them out this time then his two surprises the first few times. Almost instantly his headache disappeared, there was still a residue soreness from the events from the previous day, but he was feeling better.

He tried not to cringe when Zechs softly ran his finger along the length of one fur-lined ear. Zechs tilted his head slightly, wondering if perhaps if he touched the ears the same way he would a cat, if the boy would calm down. Changing the stroke, he massaged the boy’s ears as he would a house cat, and astonishingly those black eyes slid closed until they were half laden, drugged over with some form of absolute pleasure.

“Zechs?”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad you stepped out yesterday.”

Fingers paused momentarily, startled but soon continued. An arm pulled the boy closer against him, caught in that blissful moment of comfort, and a deep sense that he had somehow calmed the boy. “Me too, but when you feel ready to tell me who was trying to hurt you, please do.” There was a lengthy silence before he continued. “Unless of course, I’ll find out tomorrow.”

The bronze skinned boy froze slightly, but shrugged it off. He didn’t want to explain anything; he didn’t want to break the mood. “Hopefully we can gather up some information tomorrow about how they accessed Preventer systems and any connection they have with Delmare.”

“Of course. I can bother some of the crew downstairs for a recording device, since ours I believe is long gone now.”

“Quatre and Trowa made us photocopies of everything didn’t they?”

A rich chuckle was felt through his skin, “Wufei, I don’t doubt that they made us multiple copies. Sally said she can have copies of the medical information we requested faxed to us tomorrow sometime. Liz is relieved you’re alright as were Jon and Nathan, in fact Nate wants to celebrate when we get back.”

“Great.”

“You sound so amazingly enthusiastic about it too, Wufei.”

“Do you ever the feeling that we’re missing something on this case, Zechs?”

“Something? How about half the damn case is confusing as hell, we’ve had false leads, false witnesses, not to mention a false Delmare. I’m beginning to wonder how the hell this mess and the mess in Paris connects. Are you up for maybe dragging Duo and Yuy into this mess tomorrow night?”

“You mean we sit them down and pound out our nonexistent theories and pile of crap and they can tell us how amazingly strange we are?”

“I have a hunch we might find some use of tomorrow’s adventure.”

“You’re not the only one…” Wufei whispered.

“Hm?” Zechs inquired.

“Nothing. I’m going to crawl into a pair of boxers and fall asleep.”

“Care for some company?” the platinum blonde asked with a wink.

“ZECHS!!” That bronze skin flamed up, making the boy appear to be a brilliant red beckon.

“Glad to see you feeling better, Fei.”

~~~~’~~@@~~’~~~~~

He stared intensely at the large wooden door. Never had he wished to be away from it all and back with his musty books. Back to the time where the outside world didn’t matter. He raked his hand through his hair, realizing a moment later that he had somehow come to pick up his partner’s nervous habits. Closing his eyes briefly, he centered himself, bringing up his points, his thoughts, and readied them to be addressed.

The entire trip up here he remained silent, half comforted by Duo’s chatter, Yuy’s stability. They were currently briefing Long Shen, which was probably going to get them nowhere. Yuy had attacked their systems the moment he stepped through the building’s doors.

It was a far cry from his traditional surroundings on L5, the modern perimeter of the building was a glass confine that surrounded a much more Chinese structured interior. Obviously there were some secrets that the elders kept from him.

Stepping into the room, he bowed politely, deciding there was no rush into making them despise him immediately. Stepping before the six elders, a considerable difference from the large council on his home colony, he silently ran his eyes over them all. He vaguely knew three of them, two he knew fairly well and the last one quavered his soul. He had never expected her to survive; in fact he had heard the whispered rumor that she had been exiled from the Colony.

<< “Wufei, we had Long Shen come to us the other afternoon with the notice that you commanded to see us?” >> The eldest among them spoke, his ancient voice stirring the blurred memory of his clan’s history being taught to him as a young child, the weight of duty already sitting upon his shoulders even as a child of five.

Crisply he nodded, deciding that it would be best for his to approach this situation as neutrally as he could before he had to turn to other methods to get his answers. << “I began a tracking of my file, a hidden file amidst the Preventer’s systems about two days or so ago. Surprisingly we had a few areas return in the perimeters of our initial search. Investigating, it seems that the systems were cracked numerous times, all trying to locate essentially one thing. My file.” >> He paused, black orbs flatly running over the members of the council before him. << “Initially this was going to be a simple check, unfortunately for you, the disagreement to allow the Preventer’s entry did not improve your standing among them. It seems that there are secrets to hide here.” >>

A long stillness held in the musty room lined with his clan’s banners and symbols. The first elder to reply to him was a man he knew well from his childhood studies, Lei Shing. << “You come as a stranger this time.” >>

Breathing steadily, Wufei remained outwardly calm. He did not want to upset the council for that might obstruct their chances of finding out crucial information. << “A stranger hunted down by a cousin?” >>

The air tensed, Wufei could sense that. He had wondered how the council had expected him to respond to that threat, or had they expected him to die? When silence and icy stares met his question, he attempted another route, << “There is a great mystery suddenly surrounding me and my comrades, and somehow a connection stems from this location.” >>

<< “So a case, a hindrance in your new life as brought you back Wufei?” >>

He swallowed, knowing how deeply that sentence affected him, tearing and clawing his heart and soul. ‘Meiren, if I ever needed your strength, now is that time…’ He closed his eyes briefly, focusing his foremost though and upon opening his eyes again he said it aloud. << “I accept the responsibility that I did not look for my clan. My accountability is obviously flawed, I accept and know that. I shamed my clan and my honour believing you dead and now I have disconnected myself from you, but consider the faults of your own. You harbored me in your ideal world then thrusted upon me the duty of defending a clan, a colony. I died that day. Every time I close my eyes I see my mistakes, my *failure*. I see the destruction of the only people I knew as family. I betrayed my friends trying to die, to be ripped from my misery, so never assume that I left you behind without a thought. There has never been one single moment were I have not closed my eyes and seen my home swallowed in a brilliant light. That is what you left me with.” >>

The woman on his far right nodded slowly, << “I can see why they called you The Dragon, Chang Wufei. I can see why you lived and still reside in misery.” >>

He gritted his teeth, << “I would suggest you ignore me after this day, and as a warning I would suggest that you open your doors to an investigation.” >>

Lei Shing narrowed his eyes on the boy before him. << “What gives you the right child to demand anything from us?” >>

Anger coursed through his blood, tormented his body. << “I think I deserve answers.” >>

<< “The path is one you chose.” >>

<< “I was never given a choice in the matter.” >>

<< “You accepted what was placed before you.” >>

Tears burned the corners of his eyes as his emotions overtook his reason, fangs bared he hissed back, << “Accept the fact that you made me despise all of you. But would suggest not only as the former heir to this dying clan, but as a person in a great deal of political standings currently that turning away the Preventer’s is not a wise decision. In fact I would say it was rather foolhardy.” >>

Long he stood there, watching his words sink into them. At last the woman who he had thought long dead stood up, the other council members looking slightly afraid. She was a woman of great power; her stance and face presented her as such. Yet, beneath that authority, Wufei could see a kindness in her dark eyes, something he never could have imagined in that woman’s family line. << “I would like to speak with you privately, young Wufei. Now would be fine. Follow me.” >>

And follow he did, to a side room who’s door was hidden beneath one of the draping tapestries. Securing that same door, she stood and addressed him, << “I don’t believe we dismissed you from your title.” >>

Blinking in slight confusion, his head tilted down slightly. Never had he been pulled aside during an elder’s council, it just was not done. << “I believe my actions and failings are enough proof, Ron Hui Ying.” >>

<< “Then I see you know who I am, young Wufei. Brilliant indeed, just as they have said. You come because we called for you. They will never admit to it, it is a matter of pride at stake, but I surmised that the most efficient way of summoning you to us would be through this method. There are a few who did not agree, which is why you found Kuan-Yin at your door. I am rather displeased at the pain and destruction he caused, but I am grateful you did not kill him. In fact he is rather confused by the ending of your fight and talking to him might help.” >>

Carefully he digested her given information, knowing that for a fact his cousin had survived. The wisdom that offered him a swelling rush of relief and a slight wave of fear of how he could hide his cousin from the Preventers. Casting the thought aside momentarily, he inhaled deeply before addressing her, << “Why did you summon me?” >>

Her soft brown eyes looked down at him slightly, admiring him in a way he could never understand. << “I thought we should reveal ourselves to you, after all we are as you said a dying clan, and you are the heir and have the right to know that you have not lost us all.” >>

A war stormed inside him, brewing and twisting his thoughts rapidly. << “Would you have me come back? What use is the clan now? We have no real political connections, I have hidden my heritage and it’s meaning from all. I have no desire to lead. I have tasted freedom and I want to keep it.” >>

<< “You would dismiss you heritage for freedom?” >> she asked slowly, watching the boy’s features carefully. << “Can you truly walk away today and not think of us? Think before you decide child, you have that gift of logic now use it.” >>

<< “Stop it!” >> he hissed, eyes burning at her, << “Stop it! You dragged me here to see you alive, making my self-hatred burn ever the more fiercely inside me. I loathe myself so completely and now you will add more than I could ever handle onto my burden.” >>

<< “This is what you were born to do.” >>

<< “I sacrificed my innocence, my beliefs, my soul, my wife to this clan. I have the blood of millions on my hands. I have the blood of great men staining my soul. I brought the end of my home, my Colony. I have become everything I have ever hated, and now that I am slowly recovering myself you ask me to stop and become what I hate, despise, loathe with everything of my being once again?” >>

<< “But you would. I know you would, Chang Wufei, because you more than anyone I have ever known know what this burden is and could never rightly abandon it.” >>

He paused, looking out the window, gazing at the traditional gardens that lied in the brilliant sunlight. Black eyes closed them out to the shallow darkness his eyelids provided, gathering himself for a moment. Letting a calmness overtake him. << “Perhaps if you had asked me a year ago I would have agreed, and willingly. Now, it is too late, I have grown comfortable being who I am, not who I was.” >>

<< “You have lost interest?” >>

A great moment of clarity dawned in him, that he knew something more intimately than he had anything in a long time. << “I will never loose interest in my clan, I care for it deeply. I have made too many sacrifices not to hold it dear. I just cannot fathom thrusting myself into its politics, into its personal issues. I can not see myself dictating clan marriages, diplomacy, or culture.” >> Wufei smiled suddenly, looking over at her and holding her eyes with his. << “Should you need the help or advice of a warrior, then choose another. There are others more willing than I was ever. Let them lead, and let me fall to the side, slumbering in the clan’s memory.” >>

<< “I see. My sister, I have always said made the wrong choice with you. You would revolt one day, that the spirit of a dragon could never obey the whims of others. Yet still they cloistered you, and now I am glad to see I am right. I will not accept you leaving this clan, as I will not allow you to stop being apart of the heir to the power of this clan. I will however tell you not to stop living your normal life. But your initial assessment of the remainder of this clan was false, young one. We have a political power that many do not have, and I want to let you have access to that power. I had a dream long ago as I was exiled back to our native China from our Colony. And if you know of the majik that runs through this clan then I will tell you what you want of this curse entwined with this majik occurred. Or at least as much as we know.” >>

The truth can always rock a man to his inner core, ripping him apart into uncountable threads, plucked at, played with like a harp. Wufei reached a bronze hand out, claiming the white wall as a sanctuary. << “How much do you know?” >>

Sighing, she walked a little closer to him. << “Can you accept the truth, young Wufei?” >>

Brown eyes watched with some surprise as the clan’s heir let jetted black cat ears and a tail slide from his body, noting the boy’s own features troubled with revealing his close secret. Fingers sharpening to razor claws, fangs and all the dainty skill that came with his enhanced form. << “I see. Well then, I can briefly start my tale-” >>

<< “No. Answer my questions in front of myself and my partner.” >> Wufei replied calling his cattish self back in.

<< “If that is what you wish.” >>

<< “It is.” >>

~~~~’~~@@~~’~~~~

They were lead to a vast library, shelves spanning up stories upon stories, rows of volumes and manuscripts covering every inch of the sanctum. The elder woman lead them expertly though the book lined rows, her destination one of only her knowledge.

“How did you arrange this ‘Fei?” Duo whispered to his silent comrade as they followed in suit, never asking and heeding the Asian boy’s instructions to follow him.

“Because child, he asked.” Ron Hui Ying replied with a small smile resting on her features, russet eyes twinkling with a humour Wufei recognized intimately.

“Huh?” Duo replied, blinking his wide violet eyes at the graceful woman leading them through the maze like shelves of the library. “Just because my friend here asked? Don’t think so lady. Preventers could not get in under just asking.”

“You aren’t the clan’s heir, young Preventer Maxwell, Wufei asked and there for he will get what he wants.” She replied naturally, turning the shelves and therefore missing four sets of eyes pinning the black haired Asian with different looks. Pausing by a staircase she merely looked at the party. “Up here are the documents you require, I can show Preventer Yuy to our systems if they would like?”

The blue eyed Japanese Preventer nodded crisply, turning briefly to Relena, “Stay with Maxwell and do not leave his sight.”

“Miss Peacecraft would prefer a tour of our facilities instead, since you are our guest?” Hui Ying asked, turning to address the blue eyed Preventer, “I assure you nothing will happen to her on our grounds.”

<< “Long Shen said you requested me, honored one?” >>

A few sets of eyes looked over the new voice with some disdainment, yet the scarred face and a set of amber eyes located the black eyed boy easily. << “Heir.” >>

Swallowing his initial shock, Wufei crisply returned the bow, “Kuan Yin.”

<< “Yes, Kuan. I am asking if you could perhaps give Miss Peacecraft a tour of the grounds, answer her questions and then make sure we have a honored lunch prepared for all of our guests?” >> Hui Ying requested.

Bowing deeply, he nodded. << “Understood.” >> Straightening, he nodded to Relena. “If you could follow me, I will take you around our facilities and can answer you’re questions.”

Wufei’s eyes followed his cousin as he lead the Vice Minister from the towering bookshelves, his accented voice answering the girl’s seemingly simple and polite questions. The Chinese boy was heavily questioning the Japanese boy’s approval to bring Relena along with them. Duo had commented it brought the extra political oomph they would need.

“Then Preventer Yuy, I will lead you to the network center of the center. Preventer Wind, Wufei, Preventer Maxwell I will return shortly.” The brown eyed woman said with a smile.

Violet eyes locked with that of his lover briefly. “Hate to sound over cautious but I am afraid I will be inconveniencing your security networks and stations, as well as your kitchen. You understand I am sure with such two high profile guests under our care.”

Those intense orbs focused upon her, and the elder exiled woman nodded in understanding. “Of course. Then come with me, Preventer Maxwell and I will show you the main maps as we head towards the computer networks.”

~~~~’~~@@~~’~~~~

Amber eyes watched the auburn haired girl to his left gazing over the gardens with her blue eyes. His attention was drawn down to her as her hand gracefully touched his arm.

“You seem to know Mr. Chang.” She said neutrally, smiling up at him.

Blinking in slight confusion, Kuan nodded after a moment’s pause of some surprise he did not hide from his face. “I believe I should, Prime Minister Peacecraft.”

Narrowing her eyes in thought, Relena sighed, “I am afraid I am not following.”

“He is the heir to our clan, Prime Minister Peacecraft.”

Startlement danced across her face, bewilderment clearly expressed in her eyes. “You seemed to be a close friend of Wufei’s. Why then are you perplexed by this?”

“Wufei…” Relena paused twirling the ends of her sandy auburn hair on her finger. “Wufei is more of an acquaintance, he and I share deep relationships with mutual friends, he longer than I. The fact that he was a heir to this clan came as a surprise to all of us.”

Kuan smiled, the memories of his brief moments with his cousin floating to the forefront of his mind. When he had returned the other day his current clan leader, Ron Hui Ying had finally explained the mystery surrounding his orders to go and assassinate his cousin. The hatred had not died, Wufei had failed his clan in Kuan’s personal opinion, but he was not the one to make the decisions. Wufei, his cousin, was the heir, failure or not. Pain and suffering of the entire Colony, or not. “My cousin is a man of secrets. I cannot explain to you why he kept his honor and privilege a secret from you, but I am sure there is a selfish reason to it. He does not always like people knowing him too well.”

~~~~’~~@@~~’~~~~

“The tape doesn’t bother you, does it?” Zechs asked politely, finishing the connection of the device to its recorder, and then arranging it on the flat surface of the low table.

“Not at all. I agreed to this, whatever you need I will accept. I do however ask that this tape will not be used for public information. These are still historical and cultural clan secrets I am sharing with you.” She asked sweetly, settling back in the leather chair.

Wufei nodded, “We understand, I would never allow that.”

“I know.”

Zechs nodded and picked up his notes on his legal pad. The pen tapped the paper as he waited for his partner to turn the recorder on. Once the light on it blinked red and stated the date and time he began. “To start off the questions, to your knowledge Mrs. Ron, has the clan come into any recent contact with Eglantine Delmare?”

The elder woman paused in thought, and then shook her head. “I am certain that I have never heard the name around here. I can also be certain we have not willingly or knowingly done anything in connection with that name.”

“I’m sure anything unintentional, if there is any, will be turned up by Preventer Yuy in the computer systems.” Wufei replied, leafing through his own notes. Circling one question in blue, he settled back in his chair. “Not that I am completely a believer in the occult Honored One, but have you ever had any connections to the occult, recently or otherwise?”

Smiling, those wise brown orbs closed, resting as she spoke slowly. “Ones of logic and reason dismiss claims of the supernatural, child, yet in their own way they are blind to faith and their imagination. If you want to believe us, then open your mind, if not reject my next thoughts.

“Long ago, there was an invasion, back when we were still a young clan. The few survivors were forced into an arranged agreement, of what kind has been lost to our clan’s history for hundreds of years. From that little known piece of history a curse was placed upon certain members of the clan. Again, I cannot tell you the curse; it has never appeared in any of our historical texts other than by that name. The Curse. Many wrongs that have befallen the Dragon Clan have been called part of this curse, whether they are or not, that remains to be seen.

“But as for the majik that resides in the clan’s past, it still survives today, to those we feel blessed with this gift.”

The blonde man nodded, lifting his pen from his furious notes, stopping to circle a few key words and directing the next question to her, “If you do not mind the question, what sort of majik?”

Chuckling, she pushed aside his doubts with a shake of her old hand. “Not a strange question, young man. The answer varies with the different clan families that make up the Dragon Clan. Not all the families mind you are of majikical linage. The three or four that are have seen a great decrease of power in their bloodlines as over time the heritage thins, their blood diluted with other families. Now a child born of power is a highly respected event.”

“So you are implying that majik in the Dragon Clan has been diluted over the years?” Zechs asked, his mind following the concept that had resided in the Aristocracy of old. “So you are left with the blatant knowledge that every generation becomes weaker, unless through certain arranged marriages those old bloodlines could be, in a crude term, revamped.”

“Exactly, my young man. Unfortunately, inbreeding has many problems, many you should know from your own experiences of the European families. We tried for centuries to arrange inter-clan marriages that would, when a child was produced, happen to hopefully breed a new renewal of ancient power into the families. Unfortunately, centuries of this technique have failed, because of the no longer pure houses and bloodlines, and the fact that all the inter-clan marriages have now connected many of the houses. In fact the majik has all but left two of the houses. The Ron and Chang lines were, until recently the two most powerful houses left.” She turned her sad eyes to the black eyed boy looking at her in a look of faint horror. Never had this been mentioned to him, had he ever known that… that…

“My granddaughter was unfortunately the last of the Ron lineage. She passed away a few years ago when troops attempted to eradicate the L5 Colony with biological warfare. They were stopped, but she paid with her life. I wasn’t there at the time, I was, my young man, exiled from my Colony ten years before that when I had a fairly large disagreement with that elder’s council over the new clan heir. Which is why some of us were here and able to hunt down the scarce few survivors of the L5 incident when the Colony exploded during the first war. Greatly hurting not only the bloodlines but the ancient power as well. We lost many powerful and wise people then, many ancient family relics and some original scrolls.”

“My apologies for your loss” Zechs replied, silently remembering the moment as he witnessed it from the Peacemillion’s windows, the sad and powerful moment that ripped him inside as much as his own land’s destruction had.

“Thank you. You must forgive these old tears of mine.” She responded, wiping them slowly away with her wrinkled fingers. Clearing her throat she exhaled and continued, “The Chang clan seems to easily with stood the centuries, providing the clan with amazingly powerful warriors and talented geniuses. This last generation has provided a few children of varying degrees of power, strangely though, their power only comes in times of agitation and crisis occurring during the years of their puberty. What I mean by a crisis again alters from child to child. Kuan Yin’s occurred in his horrific escape with his siblings form the exploding Colony.”

“What sort of powers?” Wufei’s words were hoarse, dry in his mouth as if he wanted not to ask them. The pain this conversation brought him seemed to know no ending. But he endured. He always did.

“Kuan’s was one of fire. He seemed to be able to walk through that raging flaming monster without being harmed, to control it to a degree. Another of the generation has a slight control of the wind.” She stopped, looking intently at Wufei, afraid the child would not like his secret revealed.

The blonde Preventer noticed the hesitation and covered the mike for a moment. “I know Mrs. Ron of my partner’s gifts, with his permission would you continue?”

They both turned to regard the boy. “Put in a different tape, Zechs. This one is a personal reference.”

“Agreed.” The Sank man nodded, removing the current tape and replacing it. “Ready.”

Ron Hui Ying concurred and began. “Wufei, we had the astrologers tell us that his powers came from the curse. He is a brilliant child, a genius, and one whose talents have not been seen in our clan in centuries. He became the golden child of the elder’s council. When he was a toddler I had put forth a disagreement that he should not be separated from his family, secluded and taught. I felt the role of the heir should not be placed on a four-year-old child. I was exiled from the council and the Colony. The curse, according to the stars, would end with him, and the death of the twin power of the clan. The death of the twin power was… was… Ron Meiren. Her death was what began to shape the curse and its downfall. Wufei’s gifts are very similar to that of a man of our clan who lived five hundred years ago, but his life was a mystery, only thing we know is a neighboring clan hooked up with a mercenary group to ransack that small village and kidnap the boy. That child’s name was recorded as Wufei, from which we named our golden child. The star’s commanded it.”

The chair fell back as the Asian boy stood up, fists clenched at his sides, eyes closed in pain. “Why? Why was I not told these things?”

“Wufei, I can understand you are upset, this is partially the reason I wanted you to discover us. I wanted you to know, I thought you should know.” Hui Ying whispered, staring up at the trembling child.

“Was the mercenary group of any certain nationality?” Zechs asked, trying to connect the current events to the past.

“I am sorry child, I do not know.” Standing, the clan’s elder bowed to them, “I am afraid that is all I know, and I shall leave you to your case. Our books are yours to use. If you excuse me.” Carefully she winded her way down the curving staircase, and disappeared through the maze of shelves.

Blue eyes starred intently at his small partner. Walking closer, he reached out, brushing a few strands of black silk from the Asian boy’s eyes. “Fei?” He all but whispered, drawing the boy closer like he did the other night. “I know how much it hurts. I know so very intimately. But you are not alone in this. You have people falling over themselves to help you of you let them.”

“I know… I… I know.” The black eyed boy whispered, wetness finally peeking out from those thick lashes and tremblingly making their way down his bronze cheeks.

/”Why?! Why have you cursed me to this pain?!”/

He stiffened. Zechs bite firmly down upon his lower lip, eyes scanning the towering lines of manuscripts for a person. The voice in his head sounded so far, so distant, yet instinctively he felt a guilt rise in him. A perilous guilt that seared his heart. That heart wrenching cry that he had heard echo just then in the furthest reaches of his mind.

“Fei?”

“Hm?” The murmur came.

“Does your clan happen to practice religious beliefs of reincarnation?”

“Zechs?” Black eyes glared up at him. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Humour me.”

“Yes, there is an idea of reincarnation in the religious beliefs.”

“Which I am sure you don’t follow very strictly I am sure.”

“Up until a few days ago I used logic, reason, and my ancestors as my guides.”

“You were named for a powerful man in the clan. At least that fact and the name and his disappearance are certain for you?”

“According to Ron Hui Ying, it is.” Pausing, Wufei looked over at the pacing man, eyes lightly following those lean legs before turning back to his ranting partner’s ideas. “Why?”

“You know of the name?”

“Yes, I know many historical people from my own as well as the clan’s linage.” He added with a slight self mocking tone, “I am its heir after all.”

“Why was he important?”

“The reason, like Ron Hui Ying told us, was lost. He was great to my ancestors, so he is a great man to myself.” Wufei shrugged, “We never question, if my ancestors praised him, then he must have been powerful.”

“Call this a hunch, but I think we need to hunt down every transaction Delmare has made, documented or mentioned.” The blonde replied, gathering up his notes and the recorder.

“Zechs? Zechs where are you going with- Wait. You honestly think that this Delmare, who has been dealing with the occult and antiques for years has some connection to myself, or my clan, and that all the recent events were merely traps to lure us, or more precisely myself to her?” He quickly tossed his own notes in his bag. “So Paris was what?”

“A spell. I am sure of it. It didn’t dawn on me until today in the car driving here. Something I can almost remember from Trieze telling me as a child. It is in one of the books I left in Quatre’s care. It is a spell that changed the looks of the bodies in an illusion to confuse the police, and for a while ourselves. I bet if we go back to Paris, and if we are lucky we can see a circle of power still there. She has been luring us to where ever her or her minions want, attempting to get a hold of you.”

“Why me?” Wufei hissed, glaring up at the blonde man.

“Because of these.” Zechs answered, brushing a long finger over the curve of one cat ear, before Wufei blushed and made them disappear. “They mark you as a familiar.”

“A familiar?” The Chinese boy echoed in annoyance mixed with disbelief.

“Yes. Now let’s go find Yuy. I don’t think we’ll find anything of use here. After all, I am sure you can answer most of our questions.” The taller man smiled, brushing his hand through the boy’s silky mane.

~~~~’~~@@~~’~~~~

Sauntering into the darkened computer room, Duo smirked taking in his Japanese lover working his majik on the systems. Violet eyes took in the large clean room, filled with the whirring of electric machinery, silicon wires, and thousands of networked computer motherboards. “Not a bad setup, ne?”

Blue eyes flashed his direction before flickering back to the cracking and scouring of the systems hardware. “Hn.”

Intelligent eyes scrolled over the numbers and codes as they appeared onto the black screen, dashes and numbers opening up the Dragon clan systems like a can of tuna. Tapping a screen, the American smile widened. “Is there a reason you have the security cameras following the poor girl as she is given the tour of the joint?”

“Need you ask?” The other boy responded gruffly, swiveling his chair and reaching out to close up one of the mother drives.

“Of course not. Lunch should be being served soon. The kitchen checked out to be fine, I have a few of our boys on listening duty back at the hotel, and have my comm should anybody decide to pop anything funny in the soup.” The braided boy continued, dropping into an empty chair. “Having any luck?”

“All of the internal connections to the Preventers have been locked down, tracers in the network, and a few special perks that will give us total access to the drives if need be.”

“Aa. I see you worked another technological miracle. I’m so proud of you!” Leaning forward, Duo pressed his cheek to his lover’s, closing his eyes in the warmth.

A strong arm encircled the American’s thin waist; another yanked that small chin forward into a greeting mouth. Tongues intertwined, teeth nibbled ferociously. Drawing back in a comfortable sigh, the braided boy smiled, “I missed that as of late.”

“I missed the feel of you pressed against me…” Heero growled nibbling along the boy’s jaw line. “Tonight the other Preventers get night duty, you and I need some sleep.”

“You and I sleep?”

“Sometimes…” the Japanese boy replied with a feral grin that indicated that the only sleep the American was going to achieve that night was one of pure exhaustion.

~~~~’~~@@~~’~~~~

Weary eyes lifted open to a brilliant whiteness, a strong beeping and the sterile smell she could not quite place. The pain was excruciating. Her body burned as it hadn’t in a long time. The sounds grew stronger… jolting her consciousness, strangling her inside that small room. “Forgive me Trieze…” was what came out with her dry cough as air rushed into her weary lungs.

A gentle caress stroked her sweating brow. Words were so far… So very far away.

“Anne? Anne, come on… Trieze isn’t here right now…”

A woman was pleading with her, the tone was clear even in her slightly altered state. But where was his Excellency? “Give me your ra…rank solider…”

There was a long, held silence before a very warm puff of air rushed across her face, a few droplets of what could only have been tears. “Anne, the war is long over. I need you to open your eyes…”

So far now, the voices seemed to be joined by several others, their murmurs conjoining, forming one buzzing fluctuation of meaningless sounds.

Falling backwards into the darkness.

Waiting for his Excellency to come for her. After all, she had worked so had to win the Colonies onto his side, he would come for her now. She just had to patient.

~~~~’~~@@~~’~~~~

Zechs nodded a few times, waving away his partner’s and the American’s curious looks. “Thank you Xia Shu. Yeah. No, I appreciate you hunting us down.”

“You got a girl, Zechsie?” Duo snickered, slipping away as Wufei’s elbow carefully attempted to knock the wind out of him.

“Can it, Maxwell.”

“Jealous, ‘Fei?” The violet eyed boy asked with a wink.

“Xia Shu is the girl from human resources.” Wufei explained with a roll of his eyes.

Snapping his phone closed, Zechs smiled, “Also referred around the department as our unofficial secretary.” He raked a hand through his hair, turning to the small Chinese man. “Miss Xia Shu checked out a few things for Liz and Nate for us.”

“About Wu’s apartment?” The braided boy inquired.

“Yep. Other than a mass amount of property damage, Wufei’s amazing flight across the courtyard, and some broken windows, all evidence that might have been there was blown up in the explosion or wiped clean with the fire.” Zechs explained, relaying the information he was given.

Two sets of eyes turned to the black haired boy, seemingly staring off into space.

Kuan however stood silently across the courtyard, admiring the view, staying with the clan’s guests as the Prime minister Peacecraft gave a talk to the elders. Those duo toned eyes fastened onto those of his older cousin, waiting with baited breath his cousin’s words. Externally he seemed calm, distracted by some ornamental display, but he knew his cousin was watching his motions, reading him as he used to the piles of books.

“Fei?” Duo asked quietly, nudging his friend.

“Hm? Sorry, I was distracted in thought.” Wufei excused himself, eyes still fastened onto his slim cousin. “The apartment was rigged. We aren’t talking a low run of the mill set up. There were signs that I should have noticed.”

A snort came from his partner, “Fei, please. You are far from perfect.”

“No, the setup was quick. You left my apartment soon after I did. It gave the would be assassin about an hour tops to rig the apartment.”

Maxwell agreed, “Quick job to the obscure walls, hidden behind the furniture. Quick, efficient. No low grade setup, Zechsie.”

“Well trained, not terribly experienced, but very well trained none the less.” The Chinese boy added quietly.

“So you know who tried to off you?” Duo asked, quietly following the Chinese boy’s gaze to the slim scarred boy about twenty feet away from them. “Or do I have to ask?”

“Hm?” The blonde asked, following the braided boy’s gaze.

Duo stepped through their group, “Can I ask you where you were yesterday, Kuan was it?”

The scarred boy glanced in the American’s directions. “Here.”

“All day?” the American pressed, now standing menacingly before the slightly smaller boy.

“Duo.” Wufei hissed, hands clenching at his side.

“Actions speak louder than words, Fei. You know that as well as I.” Duo replied, glaring as his friend moved before his cousin.

“Then forgive me, you might have mistook my actions.”

“I don’t think so, Fei.”

<< “Stupid American…” >> Kuan muttered, glaring straight back at the violet eyed teen.

A punch lashed out, sending the hazel eyed boy back, not quite expecting the American to be as observant as he obviously was. Before the second punch landed, a quicker arm shot out, gripping that white forearm tightly.

Kuan looked up to see his cousin crouched before his own body, eyes fixed on that of his friend’s, the second punch stopped mid-swing. “Maxwell, stop it.”

“Fei-”

The scar faced boy watched as the blonde pulled the braided terrorist back from his partner, not menacingly, but carefully.

“Stop it!” Wufei hissed out, voice shaking ever so slightly from the welling emotion surging within him.

“He’s-”

“He is not who was at my apartment, Maxwell. Trust me on that.” The black haired Preventer insisted, standing up but still blocking his younger cousin with his body.

“Are you sure, Wufei?” Zechs asked quietly, not sure of his belief in the hazel eyed boy’s innocence.

“The build was like that of my cousins, I am sorry. I should have explained that to you. The man was of Asian descent, but I doubt they survived the last explosion.”

“Wufei!” Duo started again, he knew the child was guilty, his face read of the horror as the younger Chinese boy began to tremble under the weight of Shinigami’s menacing glower.

“I shot him Duo. Alright! I killed him inside the apartment. The attacker died quickly, of not immediately. It wasn’t one of Delmare’s men, I know that, especially from the attack was intended on me.”

“Then who, Fei? Can you tell me who?” The American growled back at his Chinese friend.

“I don’t know, Duo.”

“Any guesses, Fei?” Zechs intervened, yanking back the braided boy as another swipe was made at Wufei’s cousin.

“Militant? Former war enemy? I just got the distinct idea it wasn’t Delmare.”

“Wufei…” Duo tried again, shrugging off the Sankian man, stepping nose to nose with his smaller friend. Hands cupped the Asian boy’s cheeks, cradling them. Obsidian eyes were held in the dark dance of that of Death’s. “I want the truth. You promised you wouldn’t lie to me anymore.

For a moment Kuan swore he could hear his heart stop as his cousin steadied his breath. He waited in dread of Wufei’s next words. Never had he feared anything since the explosion that took his world. Now once again it seemed as though his cousin was going to tear his heart open and betray him. Eyes closed on his betrayer for the last time.

Steadily the words dropped from the Chinese Preventer’s lips. “Duo, Zechs… I swear to you with all my being, that Kuan was not the one to attack me.”

“Fei…” Duo whispered gently.

Holding that gaze Wufei continued, “Duo, I swear on the grave of my wife, all my honour, that my cousin is innocent.”

In that moment, tears leaked from the younger Chang’s eyes, trailing their way down in disbelief as he could hear the distinct sounds of Wufei’s soul screaming as it damned itself into the fiery infernos of the deepest and most sweltering pits of hell. And the only word on his mind was ‘Why?’

Backing away, the American nodded. “I believe you ‘Fei. I’m gonna go check on Relena, she should almost be done now. Watch it Kuan.” He turned and left the other three men behind.

Turning the corner, knowing he was far from the other’s sight, Duo Maxwell let a few tears fall for his friend. ‘What compelled you to save his guilty ass? I know he attacked you!! God, Fei! You glared at him the instant you saw him. You know it was him, but why betray your beliefs, the things you hold the dearest, to help some scabby little shit who tried to off you? Family or not… You betrayed us once again Fei…’

He entered though the glass doors leading to his lover. ‘I hope it was worth it, Fei. I hope the price was truly worth it…’

Zechs nodded slightly, heading to follow up in the American’s direction a moment later, leaving the two relatives together.

Kuan glanced to the side, watching his cousin glare silently at the large ornate doors, eyes glancing towards the American standing and conversing with the tall blonde Preventer, both of whom were visible in the glass room. He wasn’t sure why his cousin, whom he had tried to assassinate not even a day earlier was standing next to him, but he wasn’t going to ask. Not yet anyways.

When it became apparent his cousin was not going to say anything about what had just passed, Kuan cleared his throat. “Wufei?”

The jetted hair boy turned, fixing his cousin with his black gaze. Rage and hatred burned and flickered faster and surged harder than it had ever before. Those were the eyes of a condemned man.

What was one to say to the man who had just deceived his closest friends to save one hated man’s life?

“I’m… I’m….”

“I suggest you leave me alone, Kuan.”

“But-”

“I really suggest you leave me and never look for me again. I don’t think you fully understand what I just did for your freedom. I betrayed my true families trust, something I desperately wanted to gain once more after my last mistake. I blatantly lied to them for your pathetic life. To save the man who gave no respect to his family or his clan. I disgraced myself to help a little bastard like you, Kuan. Worse yet, I turned against my badge, my beliefs, and finally I gave the worst insult to my name and honour I could have. I defended you through a lie, using Mei’s grave to defend you, taking her honour to less than nothing, disgracing her name to save your pathetic ass!”

For the longest moment Kuan stood there, lost for words, lost for emotion, lost for an understanding of the depth of the riff he had opened between himself and his cousin. “We are even now.”

“Blame me all you want for the destruction of our Colony. For the pain and suffering I am sure you felt. It doesn’t matter Kuan. I have blamed myself for that since the moment it happened. Watching helplessly as the clan I held responsibility for died at my hands.”

Awareness finally grasped the younger Chang, the responsibility his cousin took upon himself. “Wufei… I… I…”

Turning from the boy, Wufei headed after his comrades. “Blood soaks my flesh, Kuan. Screams deafen my hearing. Innocents drown my soul. I have known my dishonor, but it never was truly the purest conception of that word. These all were realities I accepted, but today, today you granted me the first true taste of dishonor in every sense of the word’s meaning. Congratulations, Kuan. I saved your pathetic, cowardly ass, I hope you feel content with your revenge.”

Hazel eyes watched the back of his cousin disappear around the bend of the garden, eyes trailing his movements as he headed towards the glass doors. Somewhere deep in his soul a burning began and the screams of the Colony rushed over his senses. And for the first time since that wretched day he felt the slightest twinge of guilt. Guilt for childishly blaming his cousin, for seeking revenge on the member of his family, the golden child of the clan. He had taken his revenge in the most horrid of ways; his cousin’s words stung him, burrowing into his skin, residing constantly at the backdrop of his thoughts.

“You, you are the true dragon of the clan.”

~~~~’~~@@~~’~~~~

Zechs opened the sliding door to the balcony of their room, the cool night air washing over the senses. From the door he watched his partner silently, contemplating how to begin to say his feelings with words.

The trip back to the hotel had been as silent as it had been heading to Wufei’s clan that morning. This time it seemed so much more unbearable. Questions danced in everyone’s thoughts, seeds of doubt, of distrust.

His conversation with the American had been brief; both agreeing that they knew Wufei had blatantly lied to them. The question he warred with was why? How much trust could he now bank in his partner?

A partner was only as good as one’s trust in them, a trust so easily broken earlier. Duo was torn so completely. There was a long sequence of events that wanted his to keep his trust with the Chinese boy, but how could they rely on, or even confide in the boy?

“Wufei? Do you want something to drink? Water? Something heavier?” He began, trying to approach the boy carefully.

“Cyanide and a cup would be nice.” The boy snidely replied.

“Hm… I think that one doesn’t get stocked in the minifridge. I could check it out for you, though.”

A brief chuckle escaped the boy as the breeze carried it to the tall blonde man standing at that door. “I want to say I’m sorry, but I know it won’t make the difference.”

Wufei turned around, one hand brushing the black silky strands off his face as the wind brushed past him. “I wish I knew what to say to make you understand.”

Icy blue orbs held those rich, dark look before replying, “Come inside, talk, tell me, and make me understand.”

Sighing, Wufei accented, walking back into the sanctity of the hotel room and sinking onto the bed, leaning against the stiff headboard, face full of a distinct suffering.

“It was Kuan.” Zechs said immediately, watching Wufei tensen slightly.

“I won’t deny it.”

“You already did.” The Sankian man reminded him harshly.

“I… I…” Standing he began to pace, “Think Zechs! Please, I beg you to just think of me for one moment. I thought I had lost it all! I have lived in other people’s shadows and demands all my life, and after awhile it becomes an accepted duty to you. He was my cousin, my kin, a little brat I played with briefly before being cloistered with musty books and strict lessons, a life of rigorous structure. Imagine how I felt seeing the people I long thought dead walking amoung the living. I didn’t search for survivors Zechs! I didn’t care enough to look for them. They had to reach out to me, and in the end send one of my own to kill me to get my attetntion. He blames me for his fate, his suffering, and he has every right. I sat by and did nothing. Absolutly nothing as my home exploded!”

Zechs stood, stunned silent as the boy trembled, helpless in his own web of emotion.

“What would you have done? My hands are stained with their blood Zechs. One, I had a chance to save one from the fire and I did. I know what I did, I had to. I… I had to.”

What would he have done?

The masked layers of memory peeled away from the screams of a child, small fingers reaching out to dead parents as the flames of an ideal fed the fury of their traitors.

What would he have done?

Quietly he walked over to his luggage, dropping to his knees and rummaging through his small bag.

What would he have done? What would he have done to stop his sister from knowing pain? From knowing the true horror of that day? To see through the eyes of the helpless as everything was ripped away so terribly and violently. To see the fear in relatives eyes as they turned their own away to protect themselves. To never see a kind gesture from all those his family had protected over the years, to afraid to keep a six year old boy in their homes.

The hatred he felt towards his baby sister back then. She was given a home, a family, a life. He was cloistered, hidden, pushed aside. No sanctuary was ever bestowed upon him…

But to protect his sister from harm? For that he would have willingly sacrificed Noin, the Earth, his very own life before all to protect her.

What would he have done?

“I know.”

“What?” Wufei paused, wild eyes looking up with the slightest beating of hope twinkling in them.

Standing up, Zechs grabbed the glasses from the bathroom, placing them on the desk and papers. Popping the top from the golden bottle, he poured the liquor into the cups.

Offering one to his partner, the blonde smiled as those bronze arms politely took the glass from him. Knocking down his own drink, relishing in the alcohol burn the rush gave. Eyes locked onto the bronze skinned boy as the first few sips were taken. The light flush appeared quickly on those cheeks, adding an almost fey-like appearance to the boy.

“I would have done the same thing in an instant. In many ways were alike Wufei. I remember hating Relena so fervently as a child, knowing she was loved, given a chance to make her dreams come true whilst I was tossed about as an unwanted token of bad luck. I don’t know when I began to want to protect her, but I sought my revenge. To protect her and to hurt those that took her from me.”

“Zechs…” The Asian boy whispered, understanding coming to the climax of thought, the alcohol burning his soul. He quickly took another sip.

“What would I have done? I would have, if I had needed to at any point in the war Wufei, killed those closest to me to protect Relena. I would have killed Noin, blown up the Earth, anything to protect her.”

“But you didn’t…”

Taking the glass from the smaller man, Zechs nodded. “I didn’t need to. But if I was given the chance Wufei, I would have killed those bastards who destroyed my family. So, yes, I do understand. I just needed to be reminded of it.”

A pale finger ran along the length of the Chinese boy’s jaw line. Leaning in, Zechs pulled the boy close, their bodies aligning with one another as lips met.

Wufei purred as he let go of himself, ears and tail surging forth, leaning up into the curve of the taller man’s body, and wrapping his arms around the blonde’s neck. Deeper and deeper the pressure went, lips suckling, nibbling, exploring as tongues met inside those dark caverns, twisting and turning.

Pulling away ever so slightly to gasp for air, their eyes met and something deeper than anything they could explain buckled within them. Bronze fingers slide up along that smooth ivory skin, unlinking buttons as they ascended up. Lips descending upon jaw lines and collarbones… a gasp broke loose as Zechs nibbled along the taut muscles of the boy’s neck…

An awesome shriek broke out sending them back to reality. Blinking, they shook the alcohol dazed passion from their senses as the sounds of boots pounded past them.

Dread clutched the blonde man as he turned towards his partner. “Relena.”

Grabbing their weapons they flew out their door, the Asian boy screaming for the other two pilots over his comm. As they rounded the corner towards the stairwell, the braided pilot joined them as in a fast paced sprint they passed other Preventers heading down to Relena’s room.

“Who the hell is with her?!” Wufei yelled as they shot through the other door onto the screaming girl’s floor.

“Five soldiers are in the room with her and a Representative of L1, and there are a bunch more on security and outside the fuckin door!” Duo hollered back as they cautiously barreled towards her door.

Violet eyes ran over Zechs’ slightly rumbled state. “Hope she wasn’t ruining anything.”

Two sets of blushes flushed the men’s faces and the American grinned wickedly. “Nice to know Hee-chan and I weren’t the only ones being interrupted. We have to talk to… Relena… about…” the words died in his mouth as they turned the corner.

The Japanese pilot had his gun aimed at a large, snarling wolf-like creature as Relena shrieked at the carnage lying about her feet. The men outside her door were all but shredded, their innards decorating the peachy halls of the hotel. Duo all but assumed the inside of the room was baring a remarkably similar look as the half man half animal tossed a half devoured body into her room.

Without looking over his shoulder, Heero Yuy calmly told Relena to run, and with a trembling mutter the blonde girl turned and in a blur of motion from the creature and her own motions, the four men called out in alarm. Relena slowly opened one eye; the air in her lungs shrinking back in a churning screech as both eyes wrenched open.

The jagged teeth loomed above her, the stains of gore and blood slopping down onto her hapless body. The shreds of some poor man’s flesh dripping onto her horror frozen features.

The clicking of heels turned all their attentions to the end of the hall. Turning the bend gore flushed past her body, previously where she had been walking, decorating the hotel hall with more gore and mess as the screams of Preventer’s erupted down that stretch.

Two similar beasts appeared beside the woman, down and awaiting the order to attack them. Her black hair streamed about her, the made up face done to perfection. Those wild eyes burned a brilliant golden hazel that seemed to dance into a luminous yellow in the hall’s lights.

“Good evening, gentlemen. Now, I will make this fairly brief. My employer is getting sincerely tired of waiting for her package, so if you don’t mind, I’ve come to collect it for her. Personally.”

“Hn.” The cobalt blue orbs of the Japanese pilot fixed upon the woman, cocking his gun and aiming.

“I wouldn’t. I have no qualms about gutting the pretty little princess over there.” As if to accent her point, the creature ran its bloodied tongue along Relena’s terrified face.

Four guns dropped instantly.

“Who the fuck are you lady?” Duo gritted out between his teeth, violet orbs ablaze with fury.

Red lips widened in a smile. “Attack.”



~~~~’~~@@~~’~~~~~

to be continued….



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